Reappraisal

Pursuant to T.C.A. § 67-5-1601 et seq., reappraisal must be completed either in four, five, or six year cycles. In counties on a six year cycle, the first five years are used for on-site review, followed by a revaluation in the sixth year. In the third year, there must be an updating of all real property values if the overall level of appraisal for the jurisdiction is less than 90 percent of fair market value. Even if the jurisdiction as a whole meets the 90 percent level, there must be an update of subgroups which do not fall within 10 percent of the jurisdictional appraisal level.

Instead of the six-year cycle, a county may opt for either a four or five-year reappraisal schedule. Although few counties have chosen the four-year option, it is available with the approval of the State Board of Equalization. Under this plan, on-site review is to be accomplished in the first three years, followed by a revaluation in the fourth year. A third option was passed in 1997, which allows the assessor, with approval of the county legislative body, to choose a continuous five-year cycle comprised of an on-site review of each parcel over a four-year period, followed by revaluation in the fifth year. Counties adopting either of these latter alternatives are not required to update or index values as must be done on the six-year cycle. These statutes also contain requirements for planning, public notice and hearings, and noncompliance sanctions.¹

In a year of reappraisal, if the number of foreclosures is of a significant number in any area or neighborhood, the assessor of property may recognize the effects of the foreclosures on the values of other properties located within the affected area or neighborhood.²

In the event that in the year a reappraisal program is completed, the values established in such reappraisal program are turned over to the county after October 1 of such year, no penalty and interest shall be added until five (5) months following the tax roll completion date as evidenced by written notification from the assessor of property to the trustee, specifically stating the date the tax roll was delivered to the trustee.³